Conventional technical solutions to produce an optical storage device or a removable disk provide hardware having an additional memory. That is, when a host computer requires an optical storage device such as CDROM and DVDROM or a removable disk, hardware is added to the host computer.
FIG. 8 illustrates a connection of an optical storage device 3 (or a removable disk) to a host 1. Referring to FIG. 8, the optical storage device 3 is connected to the host 1 through a separate logical standard interface 5 irrespective of a computer peripheral device 2 connected to the host 1 through a standard interface 4. The optical storage device 3 includes a controller and an internal memory for reading an optical storage medium such as a CDROM and connecting the optical storage medium to the host 1. While the computer peripheral device 2 and the optical storage device 3 can be placed in a single case, they are physically separated from each other as different hardware devices.
FIG. 9 illustrates a connection of a USB modem 2′ as a computer peripheral device and an external CDROM 3′ to a host 1′ through USB interfaces 4′ and 5′. The USB modem 2′ and the external CDROM 3′ respectively include controllers and memories. Although the USB modem 2′ and the external CDROM 3′ are housed in a single case, they are completely independent from each other as different hardware devices.
Accordingly, to add an optical disk function to the host using a computer peripheral device, a disk controller, an additional memory and a peripheral device such as HUB must be all connected to the host. This increases the cost due to additional hardware. The computer peripheral device can be used as an optical storage medium using a dedicated driving chip. However, this method increases the cost because of the dedicated driving chip.
To execute a specific application program (or a driver) for a computer peripheral device, which is stored in an optical storage device such as CD or DVD, it is required to insert the optical storage device into a computer and install the specific application program.
The computer peripheral device is connected to the host to be used so that the hardware type or operating system of the host largely affects the operation of the computer peripheral device. Thus, when an application program (or a driver) for utilizing the computer peripheral device is not suitable for the hardware type or operating system of the host, the computer peripheral device cannot be used. Accordingly, a user must confirm whether the application program of the computer peripheral device is suitable for the hardware type or operating system of the host, which is difficult for a user who is not expert.